msscha's 24 gallon office cube

msscha

Posted 29 February 2012 - 09:13 AM

msscha

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Whelk Removal in Progress

I have already taken out 5 whelks -- Why? Here are the Shimek articles that inspired action: WhelksPics of Whelk Eating Limpet. Also found good pics and advice on Melev's Reef here and here. Of course, watching it go after my turbo was the final motivation. The ones I caught yesterday I brought over to my lfs -- he recognized them immediately, especially after spotting the body; they are quite distinct. I removed another two today.

Yesterday, I wrote that I didn't think the whelk had done any damage because the zoas didn't seem upset. However, I really don't know how independent each stalk is from its neighbor. Today, I noticed some red patches in the white "film" that seems to cover the stalks of each head. I am not sure if this is whelk damage or not, but it does make me more willing to remove them!

On Friday, my salinity should be back up to normal and I'm bringing home a gold coral-banded shrimp! The poor thing lost a pincer, but it will come back after the next molt. The lfs thought it had disappeared, but found it hiding quite cleverly under a rock when moving stuff around. He is saving it for me (I hope!). I am also going to add a maxi-jet 900 to increase flow some. And maybe it's my imagination, but it seems to me that the ricordea are just a tad more colorful since I dosed with minimum doses (M/W) of Instant Ocean's Reef Accelerator. But, this could be some sort of visual placebo effect .

msscha

Posted 29 February 2012 - 09:43 AM

I'm ok with the placebo effect! Those top acans look just like mine that are growing slowly but steadily. They're nice. Good luck with the shrimp!

Thanks! Funny with the acans -- the bigger one grew slowly and steadily then BAM! That sucker just took off, maybe around 2 months after being in the tank. I'm hoping the new one follows the same pattern .

ScubaEthan

Posted 29 February 2012 - 01:48 PM

ScubaEthan

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Mighty nice acans you got there. I didn't know that about whelks vs nassarius. I always learn something knew on your thread
I don't know much about zoa damage but my first guess would be some sort of algae. Is it definitely in/part of the zoa and not on it's surface?

msscha

Posted 01 March 2012 - 05:03 AM

msscha

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Mighty nice acans you got there. I didn't know that about whelks vs nassarius. I always learn something knew on your thread I don't know much about zoa damage but my first guess would be some sort of algae. Is it definitely in/part of the zoa and not on it's surface?

You know, I'm not sure about that! It does indeed look like a velvet red algae I have in other parts of the tank. It also looks as though there is an "edge" around the red part, making it look as though it has been peeled back. The zoas do not seem worse for it, so I'm not really worried. It's just another interesting thing to watch for!

msscha

Posted 05 March 2012 - 07:41 AM

msscha

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Spring Break Week and the Weather is Fine!

You know you love your fish tank when it is the only reason to come into the office! I did spend a couple of hours working, waiting for the chilly morning to warm from 37 F to 65 F, which is a more pleasant temp for putting in the rose garden. The tank inhabitants all look fine this morning, even the new gold coral banded shrimp. It has undergone its first molt (stress molt?) which is miraculous to me b/c on Friday, it had only one front claw and today both are back!

I am thinking that I may order a couple pieces of coral from Reef Gardener. She's got some lovely pieces that my lfs doesn't seem to get hold of. Have to think about the shipping stress and whether it is worth the risk.

msscha

Posted 08 March 2012 - 07:54 AM

msscha

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Sick Blastos?

My newest Blasto is not happy, so withdrawn it's skeleton is clearly visible. It has some kind of red, tubular growth that gets bigger, does not retract, and looks firm, like a tubeworm without the feather duster part. I don't know if I should just take it out now or if this is something normal. Nothing in the tank seems to be eating the little red things.

I have also spotted 2 new aiptasia today. I want another peppermint shrimp!

Update: Probably homotrema rubrum, a type of foraminiferans -- here's an article by Shimek!. I sincerely hope this is the case. I actually got the ID after asking in the disease/pest management forum then doing some searching, landing me squarely back in NR on an older post . If it is a type of foram, then it shouldn't bother the blasto. But the blasto is not happy, though doesn't look quite as bad as it did this morning. It also has an odd spongey-looking whitish thing growing under one of the heads. I've got several new patches of nearly transparent sponge-y/tunicate-y looking things...and even more little aiptasia than noticed previously. I am SO bringing home some peppermints tomorrow!

Sub

Posted 08 March 2012 - 03:29 PM

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I was on sealifeinc.net the other day and saw I can get a ball sponge just like yours! I may do that. I just have to figure out where I'll put it

FWIW, I just received a shipment from them today.. about $100 worth of stuff, mostly gorgonian (great prices btw!). I really like everything I got and they even threw in a few extra things! I was tempted by the sponge, but I think its too big for my little nano.

Posted 08 March 2012 - 04:15 PM

gena

Posted 08 March 2012 - 04:21 PM

gena

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FWIW, I just received a shipment from them today.. about $100 worth of stuff, mostly gorgonian (great prices btw!). I really like everything I got and they even threw in a few extra things! I was tempted by the sponge, but I think its too big for my little nano.

Funny you should mention the size...I sent a question in to them asking if they have any of the yellow ball sponges that are smaller than a tennis ball. Tennis ball would definitely be too big. I asked for golf ball or ping pong ball size

msscha

Posted 11 March 2012 - 04:54 PM

msscha

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msscha, you have such colorful stuff

Mucho Gracias! I've been gardening all week, the kind with dirt, so have not been keeping up much. Popped into the LFS yesterday to grab a peppermint and maybe a new frag only to find they have sold the business to some dude named James. That's about all I've got to say. I feel a bit betrayed, and am trying to realize how childish that is. Those people owed me nothing, and they are moving onto to other fishy adventures. Still. I don't know James from Adam, and 1/2 the staff is thinking of quitting. May be ordering from reefgardener after all!

Took the new peppermint to the office and found the tank a wreck! Well, at least something bulldozed a bunch of coral up front, and I nearly cried when I thought all my zoas were dead. Turned out they were just totally tipped upside down ! Duh. The sick blasto is definitely dying, though. Half the heads are white; bummer. I hope the new peppermint makes it through and eats up the aiptasia. I'll see tomorrow morning!

Funny you should mention the size...I sent a question in to them asking if they have any of the yellow ball sponges that are smaller than a tennis ball. Tennis ball would definitely be too big. I asked for golf ball or ping pong ball size

Still waiting to hear back.....

My yellow ball sponges haven't grown at all since I got them. At least, not that I can tell! But they are not dying and all my other filter feeders are alive and happy so I'm not worried. The LFS had the CUTEST little clown in and I almost bought it. I resisted: too many living souls in the tank is not good, and Bozette shows no signs of loneliness. But it was sooo cute!

msscha

Posted 12 March 2012 - 04:31 AM

msscha

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Monday Morning Surprises

Came into the office this morning to find the peppermint shrimp had molted, but no sign of the shrimp itself. Since it was pretty good sized, the fact that I don't see it probably means it's dead, but there's no body anywhere! Then, I nearly had a heart attack when I saw a flat yellow thing with antennae crawling on my tubipora. It looked just like a yellow flatworm, but when I scraped it off the coral, it had a hard shell. A few minutes later, and I could see that it is actually a limpet! I am so glad, but have no idea where the thing comes from. I hope all the commotion hasn't killed it. I returned it to the tank, but it has yet to move from where it dropped. Then, I saw the little pistol or some other thing casually walk across the sand before disappearing into the rock. Cheeky fellow! [aah -- I flipped the limpet onto its belly and now it's moving. Yay! ]

~LadyBug~

Posted 12 March 2012 - 05:47 AM

~LadyBug~

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cool! i've got some critters that look like your limpet, although they're brown. looks like a snail, only without a shell, just a plate covering about 1/2 of their bodies. i guess maybe they're limpets too? i watched them, and figure since they aren't using my corals as snail-thing chow, they could stay
i've noticed when stuff dies in a reef tank, at least half the time it just disapears :/

ScubaEthan

Posted 12 March 2012 - 07:43 AM

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Took the new peppermint to the office and found the tank a wreck! Well, at least something bulldozed a bunch of coral up front, and I nearly cried when I thought all my zoas were dead. Turned out they were just totally tipped upside down ! Duh. The sick blasto is definitely dying, though. Half the heads are white; bummer. I hope the new peppermint makes it through and eats up the aiptasia. I'll see tomorrow morning!

Whew glad the zoas are okay! That has happened to me before too lol. I hate to hear about the blastos I love blastos. Have any idea what's wrong?

I ordered a yellow ball sponge from sealifeinc. They got back to me and said they had small ones but just had not listed them yet. I'm going to have one just like you

sealifeinc is on my list for future purchases. I saw those sponges and I want some too

cool! i've got some critters that look like your limpet, although they're brown. looks like a snail, only without a shell, just a plate covering about 1/2 of their bodies.

Could be a stomatella snail.

That's a cool limpet find! Hope the peppermint shows up. Don't fret yet. I don't know about your rockscape but mine has enough places that my peppermint shrimp and two crabs can all hide where it is impossible to find them.